Fdp Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Fdp and links to relevant pages within the course.
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| Fibrin/Fibrinogen Degradation Products and D-dimers The presence of D-dimers in plasma or whole blood indicates that fibrin has been formed and degraded (fibrinolysis). Plasmin can also degrade intact fibrinogen, generating fibrinogen degradation products that are detected in fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) assays. D-dimers and FDP can become elevated whenever the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems are activated. The presence of D-dimer confirms that both thrombin and plasmin have been generated since it can only be produced as the result of the plasmin degradation of fibrin. This makes the test for D-dimers more specific for fibrinolysis than the FDP test that also detects the products of the direct proteolysis of fibrinogen (fibrinogenolysis).The D-dimer test can be useful in the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), two forms of venous thromboembolism (VTE). When the test is being used for this purpose, it is important that D-dimer levels are accurately measured and accurately reported because of the serious nature of this clinical decision. If the test is positive in a patient suspected to have DVT or PE, clinicians proceed with further diagnostic tests. If the test is negative, depending on the clinical situation and the sensitivity of the D-dimer assay, DVT or PE is considered unlikely and further diagnostic tests for DVT or PE might not be pursued. D-dimer is a sensitive, but not specific, diagnostic test for disseminated intravascular coagulation, and an indicator of increased risk of future myocardial infarction in patients evaluated for chest pain. | View Page |
| Coagulation Disorders - Acquired Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) is best described as a disorder of consumption, because clotting factors are depleted from the blood. Basically, clotting occurs randomly throughout the body, as opposed to just in the localized areas where vascular damage has occurred, consuming clotting factors and other components such as platelets in the process. Symptoms may range from a mild bleed, to severe, profuse bleeding, primarily dependant upon the availability of clotting factors. As more and more coagulation factors and components are consumed, the disorder progresses and symptoms worsen. Most heavily impacted are the levels of factors I, V, and VIII as well as the number of available platelets. Clinically, DIC is detected via an elevated (positive) FDP, positive D-dimer test, a prolonged PT and APTT, plus the manifestation of hemorrhagic episodes. DIC is diagnosed as two primary types, acute and chronic. Acute DIC manifests in a few hours or a few days, has a high mortality rate, and is seen in infections, obstetric complications, liver disease, and tissue injury. Chronic DIC is a secondary condition to some other disease state. Once you treat the primary disease, this type of DIC will go away. Treatment is often factor replacement therapy through the use of fresh frozen plasma and/or cryoprecipitate. | View Page |